Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1444560
13 13 PRACTICE MANAGEMENT THOUGHT LEADERSHIP My style in general is one of listening and of collaboration. Again, I like hearing differences of opinion because then it gives me an op- portunity to refute them. We are a really good community partner. I was at a social event last night and heard from three different people unsolicited about a Health Plan experience, a patient experience and then a community event. We are always willing to do more than our "fair share," and we're passionate about improving the health of our members and patients and driving economic development in every region we serve. Q: What trait do you most value in the people working around you? There are the universal traits — high integrity, good communication, resilience — but what is a strong pref- erence that you really want on your teams? LD: I love discovery and working with innovators who are not afraid to take risks and own up to their mistakes. I certainly own up to mine. We should never be afraid to make a mistake. I guess if you make the same mistake three times, that's a problem. I like having teams that work well with each other even if they dis- agree. ere shouldn't be any fear of expressing a difference of opin- ion, and I always like to build teams that include diverse opinions and backgrounds. I expect the same from those who report to me. And, of course, honesty, integrity and just passion about what we do. Healthcare is an amazing opportunity. I can't think of any other career choice that is more relevant to each of us and more import- ant. at is really what gets me up in the morning — trying to do something better tomorrow than we did yesterday. Q: When do you get into flow state? LD: Before the pandemic, I was traveling a lot more — I think we all were. I was also reading a lot. I like historical fiction, mystery nov- els and things that have nothing to do with my work. Now I'm really loving short Netflix episodes — like 45 minutes. I can watch one or two of them on the treadmill or elliptical. I enjoy taking long walks. Sometimes I listen to books on tape or music and get into more of a creative zone. Weekends are great for catching up with our kids. We have adult chil- dren who live in New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. e pandemic has been great for us to reconnect as a family, having the kids back in Pittsburgh for long periods of time — that has been, for me, the best part of the pandemic. I feel somewhat fortunate because although the pandemic was really difficult for us from the healthcare perspective, I was able to get up and go to work every day. I was visible here and able to connect with the teams taking care of patients. For me, that's really important. Q: What's your greatest worry about healthcare? LD: For UPMC, we only have opportunity. We have a tremendous amount of market share, assets both domestically and internationally, and the ability to create new tomorrows with IT companies, data and new pharma. e challenge is making sure we have enough talent, in general, in the workplace. at's for healthcare in general. For UPMC, we'll figure that out. We're developing new training programs and new schools for nursing. We're having discussions about overseeing an in- ternational exchange program for employees. Many women have le the workplace. at is the largest group of peo- ple who have le. I hope as an industry we do not go backward. We have made great improvements in building diverse teams, so that is something we need to keep an eye on. Q: Has UPMC had a female CEO before? LD: I'm only the second CEO in UPMC's history. I think I have a responsibility in general to help guide other leaders. As a woman, I have the unique ability that a man wouldn't have: Younger women can relate to me and feel that this is a job they can have sometime in their life. When we talk about diversity, that's what we talk about — seeing someone in a role who looks like me. Two other business divisions, UPMC Enterprises and the Health Plan, are run by women — Jeanne Cunicelli and Diane Holder, respectively. I've had great mentors throughout my career, and I feel that's my responsibility to give back to the next generation and ensure we do have great leadership guiding our hospitals, clinics and insurance services. Q: Any other thoughts you'd like to share in closing? LD: COVID-19 was a great reminder for all of us that healthcare is an important value and asset, and we need to continue to nurture it and ensure we have the very best healthcare for all the communities and populations we serve. When I look back on my career, there were certain inflection points where you think, "Is there something else I should be doing?" But there was never anything I wanted to do more. As I progress in my career, I think, "Why wouldn't anybody want to be in healthcare?" ere are so many opportunities. I think the industry needs to continue identifying enthusiastic and passionate leaders, employees, physicians and nurses to take us through to the next generation. I hope we can create significant im- provement in the way we deliver healthcare in the future. n "e pandemic truly tested the strength of our organization. We hope to come out of the pandemic as a much stronger UPMC in many ways." Leslie Davis, UPMC